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industrial biography-第13部分
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in Glamorganshire for the purpose of carrying on the iron
manufacture; were Walter Burrell; the friend of John Ray; the
naturalist; one of the Morleys of Glynde in Sussex; the Relfes from
Mayfield; and the Cheneys from Crawley。
Notwithstanding these migrations of enterprising manufacturers; the
iron trade of Sussex continued to exist until the middle of the
seventeenth century; when the waste of timber was again urged upon
the attention of Parliament; and the penalties for infringing the
statutes seem to have been more rigorously enforced。 The trade then
suffered a more serious check; and during the civil wars; a heavy
blow was given to it by the destruction of the works belonging to all
royalists; which was accomplished by a division of the army under Sir
William Waller。 Most of the Welsh ironworks were razed to the ground
about the same time; and were not again rebuilt。 And after the
Restoration; in 1674; all the royal ironworks in the Forest of Dean
were demolished; leaving only such to be supplied with ore as were
beyond the forest limits; the reason alleged for this measure being
lest the iron manufacture should endanger the supply of timber
required for shipbuilding and other necessary purposes。
From this time the iron manufacture of Sussex; as of England
generally; rapidly declined。 In 1740 there were only fifty…nine
furnaces in all England; of which ten were in Sussex; and in 1788
there were only two。 A few years later; and the Sussex iron furnaces
were blown out altogether。 Farnhurst; in western; and Ashburnham; in
eastern Sussex; witnessed the total extinction of the manufacture。
The din of the iron hammer was hushed; the glare of the furnace
faded; the last blast of the bellows was blown; and the district
returned to its original rural solitude。 Some of the furnace…ponds
were drained and planted with hops or willows; others formed
beautiful lakes in retired pleasure…grounds; while the remainder were
used to drive flour…mills; as the streams in North Kent; instead of
driving fulling…mills; were employed to work paper…mills。 All that
now remains of the old iron…works are the extensive beds of cinders
from which material is occasionally taken to mend the Sussex roads;
and the numerous furnace…ponds; hammer…posts; forges; and cinder
places; which mark the seats of the ancient manufacture。
CHAPTER III。
IRON…SMELTING BY PIT…COALDUD DUDLEY。
〃God of his Infinite goodness (if we will but take notice of his
goodness unto this Nation) hath made this Country a very Granary for
the supplying of Smiths with Iron; Cole; and Lime made with cole;
which hath much supplied these men with Corn also of late; and from
these men a great part; not only of this Island; but also of his
Majestie's other Kingdoms and Territories; with Iron wares have their
supply; and Wood in these parts almost exhausted; although it were of
late a mighty woodland country。〃DUDLEY's Metallum Martis; 1665。
The severe restrictions enforced by the legislature against the use
of wood in iron…smelting had the effect of almost extinguishing the
manufacture。 New furnaces ceased to be erected; and many of the old
ones were allowed to fall into decay; until it began to be feared
that this important branch of industry would become completely lost。
The same restrictions alike affected the operations of the glass
manufacture; which; with the aid of foreign artisans; had been
gradually established in England; and was becoming a thriving branch
of trade。 It was even proposed that the smelting of iron should be
absolutely prohibited: 〃many think;〃 said a contemporary writer;
〃that there should be NO WORKS ANYWHEREthey do so devour the
woods。〃
The use of iron; however; could not be dispensed with。 The very
foundations of society rested upon an abundant supply of it; for
tools and implements of peace; as well as for weapons of war。 In the
dearth of the article at home; a supply of it was therefore sought
for abroad; and both iron and steel came to be imported in
largely…increased quantities。 This branch of trade was principally in
the hands of the Steelyard Company of Foreign Merchants; established
in Upper Thames Street; a little above London Bridge; and they
imported large quantities of iron and steel from foreign countries;
principally from Sweden; Germany; and Spain。 The best iron came from
Spain; though the Spaniards on their part coveted our English made
cannons; which were better manufactured than theirs; while the best
steel came from Germany and Sweden。*
'footnote。。。
As late as 1790; long after the monopoly of the foreign merchants had
been abolished; Pennant says; 〃The present Steelyard is the great
repository of imported iron; which furnishes our metropolis with that
necessary material。 The quantity of bars that fills the yards and
warehouses of this quarter strikes with astonishment the most
indifferent beholder。〃PENNANT; Account of London; 309。
。。。'
Under these circumstances; it was natural that persons interested in
the English iron manufacture should turn their attention to some
other description of fuel which should serve as a substitute for the
prohibited article。 There was known to be an abundance of coal in the
northern and midland counties; and it occurred to some speculators
more than usually daring; to propose it as a substitute for the
charcoal fuel made from wood。 But the same popular prejudice which
existed against the use of coal for domestic purposes; prevented its
being employed for purposes of manufacture; and they were thought
very foolish persons indeed who first promulgated the idea of
smelting iron by means of pit…coal。 The old manufacturers held it to
be impossible to reduce the ore in any other way than by means of
charcoal of wood。 It was only when the wood in the neighbourhood of
the ironworks had been almost entirely burnt up; that the
manufacturers were driven to entertain the idea of using coal as a
substitute; but more than a hundred years passed before the practice
of smelting iron by its means became general。
The first who took out a patent for the purpose was one Simon
Sturtevant; a German skilled in mining operations; the professed
object of his invention being 〃to neale; melt; and worke all kind of
metal oares; irons; and steeles with sea…coale; pit…coale;
earth…coale; and brush fewell。〃 The principal end of his invention;
he states in his Treatise of Metallica;*
'footnote。。。
STURTEVANT'S Metallica; briefly comprehending the Doctrine of Diverse
New Metallical Inventions; &c。 Reprinted and published at the Great
Seal Patent Office; 1858。
。。。'
is to save the consumption and waste of the woods and timber of the
country; and; should his design succeed; he holds that it 〃will prove
to be the best and most profitable business and invention that ever
was known or invented in England these many yeares。〃 He says he has
already made trial of the process on a small scale; and is confident
that it will prove equally successful on a large one。 Sturtevant was
not very specific as to his process; but it incidentally appears to
have been his purpose to reduce the coal by an imperfect combustion
to the condition of coke; thereby ridding it of 〃those malignant
proprieties which are averse to the nature of metallique substances。〃
The subject was treated by him; as was customary in those days; as a
great mystery; made still more mysterious by the multitude of learned
words under which he undertook to describe his 〃Ignick Invention〃 All
the operations of industry were then treated as secrets。 Each trade
was a craft; and those who followed it were called craftsmen。 Even
the common carpenter was a handicraftsman; and skilled artisans were
〃cunning men。〃 But the higher branches of work were mysteries; the
communication of which to others was carefully guarded by the
regulations of the trades guilds。 Although the early patents are
called specifications; they in reality specify nothing。 They are for
the most part but a mere haze of words; from which very little
definite information can be gleaned as to the processes patented。 It
may be that Sturtevant had not yet reduced his idea to any
practicable method; and therefore could not definitely explain it。
However that may be; it is certain that his process failed when tried
on a large scale; and Sturtevant's patent was accordingly cancelled
at the end of a year。
The idea; however; had been fairly born; and repeated patents were
taken out with the same object from time to time。 Thus; immediately
on Sturtevant's failure becoming known; one John Rovenzon; who had
been mixed up with the other's adventure; applied for a patent for
making iron by the same process; which was granted him in 1613。 His
'Treatise of Metallica'*
'footnote。。。
Reprinted and published at the Great Seal Patent Office; 1858。
。。。'
shows that Rove
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